1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to the field of rehabilitation and exercise equipment. This apparatus allows the user to exercise various muscle groups of the upper and lower extremities as well as the core musculature. This apparatus is user friendly because of its simplicity and compact design.
More particularly, this invention pertains to an exercising apparatus configured for a plurality of exercises ranging from the upper body to the lower extremities, and more particularly, to an exercising apparatus having an upright main section with a vertical wheel rotatable about a horizontal axis, a variable resistance mechanism controlling a resistive force to the rotation of the wheel, and a plurality of grasping members disposed at various radii from the wheel's center of rotation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With a sizeable aging population, as well as a rising number of car and industrial injuries, the necessity for physical therapy and rehabilitation has risen. Numerous machines and modalities play an important role in the recovery process as part of physical therapy. The multi-use exercise apparatus described here is designed and constructed to aid patients' recovery.
Exercising machines used often in physical therapy include devices having a wheel and a resistive mechanism that resists rotation of the wheel. These machines are used to increase ROM (Range of Motion), muscle strength and endurance in the upper extremities of a person. There are numerous shoulder wheels on the market such as Bailey, Housman, Clinton and others. Each of these devices, some motor driven, is unnecessarily complicated in both their construction and use. Moreover, shoulder exercise wheels are designed to accomplish either muscle strengthening or ROM. The apparatus in this invention is able to accomplish both goals and allow a person to perform many other exercises as well.